Printing-machine.



Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

6 SHEETS SHEET 1 Abb'Y s. I

A. J. MCGAULEY.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED JAN.28,1912.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

I, inventor: J.M

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. J. MCGAULEY- PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.23,1912 1,045 722. Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

i 6 SHEETSS HEET 3 A. J. MGOAULEY.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED JAN.23,1912. I

Patented Nov. 26, 19 La 1,045,722 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5- r 0 m 7 v m T I N a to o a WT 9 4 i i/ ii iii Ls AAAAAAAAAA XXkkkAgXAAkAA hwanbor': A at 324. A .J. WQaulex A. J. McUAULEY.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.23,1912

Patented Nov. 26, 1912 mvanboz'; A ,JM OaULaY AbUYS.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT J. h ononnmor ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, Assnmoa 'ro onhts'rornnn A. answer, on sat. LOUIS, Mrssomu.

?RINTING-MAGHIHE.

Specification ot' Iietters Patent,

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

Application filed January 23, 1812. Serial No. 672,822.

' b all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBERT J- MGCAULEY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of St. Loui and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Machines, of which the following is a fu 1, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming :1 art of this specification.

his invention relates to a printing machine adapted to print addresses, or other matter, on shipping tags, or the like, connected in long strips.

The main object of the invention is the production of a simple, eflicient and substantial machine of this character devoid of fine or delicate mechanism.

Other objects and advantages as well as the novel details of construction will hereinafter appear.

Figure I is a. perspective view of a machine embodyin the features of this invention. Fi If is a vertical section of the machine. Fig. III is a horizontal section showing the lower portion of the machine. Fig. IV is a detail View illustrating the reciprocating carrier and the platen operable by said carrier, partly in elevation and partly in section. Fig. V is an enlarged vertical section, partly broken away, of the feeding mechanism. Fig. VI is a plan view,

partlyin section, of a bank of .the type wheels and means for locking said wheels. Fig. VII is a fragmentary view of the means for locking the type wheels. Fig. VIII is an elevation, partly in section, of the ribbon feeding mechanism. Fig. IX is a plan view of the ribbon feeding mechanism shown in Fig. VIII.

The machine shown in the accompany ng drawings illustrates an embodimen of my invention in its preferred form, and t should be first stated that the machine 1s one intended more partiClJlflrlfL-fQI. 1. 6 in -printing labels, such as ship/p ngv ta or other tags. It is'further to be note V that the structure of the machine isprefergblg such as to print objects thatare arrange in series and integral with each other. as for instance, a plurality of tags in a strip of paper that is slitted at intervals to produce thatags that are to b8 delivered. mte

I (10 not limit myself to the use of my machine for the printing of any particular obect.

Briefly stated, my machine comprises the following elements, to-wit: a plurality of banks of type carriers, the carriers being preferably in the form of wheels and adapted to be adjusted to print addresses, or other matter on tags; means for feeding the tags to said type carriers; an inking ribbon interposed between the type wheels and tags during the passage of the latter through the machine; and a platen support adapted to be moved after each tag feeding operation to move the tags and inking ribbon toward the type carriers to print the tags. If the tags are integrally connected to each other, as is preferable, the machine also includes a cutting device for severing the tags, and means whereby a predetermined number of tags in a tag strip may be printed and said cutter may be thereafter automatically ac-,v

tuated to cut the strip when the desired number of tag feeding operations have taken lace.

The type carriers-The rinting type is carried by banks A, B and 8 of type wheels, each bank of wheels being mounted on a suporting shaft 1 supported by side frames 2. ach type wheel is yieldingly connected to its shaft by spring pressed detents or friction shoes 3. The type Wheels may be rotated by turning their supporting shafts and they may be lockedv against rotation by a lgey 4 which will be resently more particularly referred to. he shafts I extend through the casing!) and are provided with t ing n bs an )s are r tata .by the per o in iu n theltype wheels.

Each type ,wheeli ha peri herally aranged type'character's 5, (see igs. VI and VII), formed on teeth 6, and indicator char- Wffili 7 located between said teeth. Each type wheel} is also qovided with an elongated stop tooth 6, see Fig. II), adapted to klillflfi a siup bar 8 when the MA in its lawn-printing msnn 1 the sump mull! 6 of any plntluulur when? zmvmgml with a stop bar 8, 110 type clxa may nn saicl wlmel is located in priming pqsltmn :uvi n indicator character an the wheel in 11:9; file through the currespondmg flight opening 9 in the casing. \Vhen the t pe Wheels are adplsted to prlntlng posli'wn, tl'le m'tlnsafnr characters seen through the night :uni Vll'l The operaior may Cilli'lfi Ch l 11y shifter knobs 12, knitfifilil 13 in lime casing uf t l (l in the keys my i M as wen in Fig. X a m-m2? ("hamsters are at snsh time a Y lluuingll the sight openings in and the w in, unlocki d :u'nl ad 11ml i :"lr' n'w-fi printing pii'mns by tlw l;

WWW: The fin step in sullif \ype wlmels is m hift the lncln. in :i pusltion when: the nutch 15 furnw h? edge of said key will register xvi? b when (0 be adjusted. When :1

EH35 with this notch l5 it is fun: fix: Til Through llw locking bar independ he. (it 1" wheels, which vermin l0. j be 'Iui'fiifid t0 the desired POSltlfiI). l;- zzn'al'lng the wtling lannb at the final w wmwi aha/ft 1. An exnminalinn a in? cl'mrrnrtws visible an inn. rung i will show the operator l H llrs :adjnstnd t0 the required pruning pwfllim. The next whgel to be fidjfifilifll Q4 n mocked by shifting the locking key 4 0 ate the notch opposite said whee-l. This movement (if the locking key locks the p2 ,lv Mljusted Wheel and allows thswheel to be sst tlgrnugh the m: n: the shaft setting knoll: Any l number of ty wheels may be setin n' zmnw g ssribed. and ill-s: l1 visil u: zlnrmlgh the sight openings .TP film Esp) chiumtus in pawl;

v www.-

ettlng the wheels 0f 21 1mm; 0'? Caps :1 non-printing pnslfi0z2.. {be 5m: w n y. i is disengaged frnrn all m he v. Heels of a. bank to allow them to turn with f tlm slmfl, l, and the shaft is then rotafwilmlle mmpleie revolution 01' sulficientl y to engage all m the elongated step teeth 6*, Wllll the slap bar Obviously, the. teeth 6" diflt'erenl wheels will strike the stop bar 8 at lw wlwals a AL l ,3 a plunger l9 and spring 2., (see VII). The spying: forum the pl m- "l uslgnnias tags prawn? in a strip of pa pi?? ins: strip being partially sevcrml bu tw -en 12 lags: by slits 2i. The ends of mid tag?) are integrally connected at 21". The fmu'ion, of the feeding mechanism is to pnn lli. lags slap by step toward a: N A, B and CA at type wheels; in allow Severn A ll. and

with an operating is connected byapitnian 25 to a tag ee'ding mechanism carrier 26. ,The carrier 26 is a frame adapted to reci rocate in use to rotary movements-'0 {the crank said "frame havin sidebars 27 slidabl fitted to -the main si e frames 2; 28 an -;28 are feeder fingersor ushers pivoted to the car-v rier 26 at 29 ancf", res tively. These feeder fin rs, for tag feedii i g action, separate the s itted edges ofthe ta strip and bear against one of the rear of the tags, as seen in Fig. V. Upon eac forward movement of the carrier 26, the feeder fingers push the tags one step, and said fingers are then disenga d from the tags, as will be present] described. The feeder fingers are provi ed with dependin arms 80 and 80" connected by a link81. is connection causes the feeder fin rs to move in aunison when they are rocked oward or away from the tags.

A tripabledog 82, pivoted to the carrier 26, has a shoul or 88 adapted to interlock with" a tailpiece 84 on the feeder finger 28.

A spring 85, or other yieldable member, conace in the feeder finger 28 to the do 82,

' tends rock said fee er finger away rem the ta but such mevemen is prevented when a dog 82 is interlocked with said i feeder finger. 'An' abutment 86 preferably in the form of a screw, is located below the car- 'rner 26 and in-the path-of the do 82, (see arrowsin F V), When the do 2 strikes the abutmen 86, it is disengage from the feeder. finger 28, and the 'aring 85 then pulls the connected feeder gers 28, 28" away from the tags. ThetagJ feedin action is therefore atoppedautoma cally a a predetermined pom. at which'tags are posifeeding position by the sprin actuated dog fra 82, due to its engagement wit thetail piece '84 of the feeder fin r 28."

hei'platenf mec inkingriba 1s banks 0 type w eels andthe-tagsfand a 1 laten'is arranged beneath 'each"bank "of ype wheels to mov'd'thepige andjnlring ribbon toward the'type whee 1, 'r" The platen mechanism is? shown 'most clearly in Figs. II, III, and IV. A 'platen handle28. A crank a operable in rin carrier 40,- (i ig;

springs 47 in the spring v ally conn tiened forprintin o ration. "After being '5:

preferabl "interposed between the- 'havin carrier'46is arranged beneath the banks of 't 'wheels, said platen carrier being provi edwith rollers 41, which rest on the feeder carrier 26. Platen bars 42, located adjacent to the banks of type wheels are provided with depending threaded posts 43 ockets 44 on the platen Nuts 45 fitted to said threaded posts may be adjusted to nlinc the platen.-:- bars *with the type wheels. The

pockets 44 constitute yielding supports or the platen bars and cause said bars to yieldingly force the tags and inkin ribbon toward the banks, of type wheels w en the laten carrier is elevated. The object in interposing yielding devices between the ends of the long platen bars and the platen support is to cause said platen bars to automatically adjust themselves to the type wheels during the printing 0 ration, with the result of causing a subantialiy equal pressure to be transmitted {,hroughout the entire length of the platen ars.

The platen carrier 40 is controlled in its movements by links 48 pivotally connected to the sides of said carrier, and also pivoted to the main side frames 2. 49 are cams at the to of the reciprocating feeder carrier 26, a apted to move under the rollers 41 after the feeder fingers have been disenged from the ta The cams 49 elevate t e platen carrier uring the forward movement of the feeder carrier 26, and during the rearward movement of said carrier the platen carrier is restored to lowered position by a spring 56 (see Fig. II).

T means for severing the tag strip after 0' predetermined number of ({eeding operations-The ;ta strip forms by the intetags is severed after a pretern ined number of feeding and printing operations by a knife or cutter 51 at the rear end of the machine, (see Figs. II and III). The knife 51 is slidably mounted in a knife holder 52 ivoted at 58 to the main side frames 2. e tag strip passes through the uaper end of the knife holder 52 immedia y below a stationary cutter bar 54. The knife-51 may be adjusted toward the stationary cutting bar 54 by a screw or screws 55 in the knife holder 52. 56 and 57 designaterock arms fixed to a rock shaft 58, the latter bein journaled in the main side mes 9. e rock arms 56 and 57 are connected-'to'eadh other by a rod 59 lying directly'beneath'a'flange at the lower edge of the movable knife 51. Springs 60 normally hold'th' e b35351 below the tag strip, but

when-thwarms' 56 and 57 are rocked up wardly, the rod 59 moves upwardly, with the f result of elevating said knife 51. The arm 56 ispreferablypart of a bell crank lever ("second arm 61 adapted to be on- 8 8 by a knife actuating member. The I feeder carrier 26, ofieratedtthroughthe me-' dium.;of .the'mam.o ratingshaft, is-provided'at its rear-en withan abutment 62.- .When the feedencarrier is at the end of its rearward strokef 'the abutment 62 is located .verycloseto the bell-crankgarm 61, 'but it does not touch said armI-However,v at a predetermined time a. movable {filler 68 is-automaticallmocated between the abutment 62 1 and the lcrank arm 61 to cause said arm .and the movable knife 51 to partake of the movement of the abutment 62, thereby causing said knife to sever the t strip. The movable tiller 68 may be terme a transmission member, as it transmits the movement of the abutment 62 to the knife 51, and the knife isactuated only through the medium of saidmember 68. r. y

. The means for causing the transmission member 68 to transmit movement of the abutment 62 to theknife at a predetermined time com rises a travelin arm 64, to which said mem r 68 isslidab y fitted said arm being connected to a ratchet wheel 66 which moves step by step inunison with the feeding. mechanism. The ratchet wheel 65 is 0 rated b a pawl carrier 66 loosely mount- ,e on a.- aft 67 and having a bifurcated end whiclris fitted to an eccentric 68 on the powershaft, said pawl carrier being provided with-a pawl 69 adapted to move the ratchet wheel-one stepflduring each revolution of the power aha A pawl69, Fig. II), prevents retro ade movement 0 the ratchet wheel 65. he arm ,64 is preferably held infrictional cnga ment with the ratchet wheel by a spr1ng 70 located in a pocket 71 and engagmf a shoulder on the shaft 67, gig. II n adjusti the arm 40 64, it may released from the rate at wheel b pressings ush buttpn72 at.the endot tile shaft 7, ereby sliding the shaftand movin the ratchet wheel away from the arm 64. e arm 64.may then be rotated inde- 5 pendent] of the ratchetwheel b turnin aknob 8towhichsaidarm64 ssecu The sition of the arm 64 is indicated b a in r 74 fixed to the knob 78 and adag 0 move around a graduated dial 75, ig. so I). When the arm 64 is adjusted, the pointer indicates the number of tags'to be printed, and during the grintingoperations, the arm 64 moves step y. step toward the abutment 62 at the-rear end of the feeder 155' carrier. When the member-.,-68 carriedby.

the arm 64 steps into thepath -of the shutment 62, the knife is actuated-tosevea the tag strip. vThe memberf3163 l is mlidably mounted in the end of the arm-64, and;is nor- 60 mallyheld, in theqpositionj-ghownby a spring 76;

I, if" ii I The ivotedlmifezholder; 62 may ,be ad. justed o accuratel positionrthe knife olby adjusting nuts 7 -on 'a rod-78 assin as through an arm 79 on the-pivots kni e tholdem- 'Aftergthe, tag strip has been severed, the .o rating handle isrotated to com- ,plete the" eedingfand printing operations and theicompletel printed stri 1s finally dischargedat the ront end of t e machine. Before he 'nnin another printing operation, the b ank s rip-must be fed forwardly by hand-5X0 a oint where it will be picked up by he fee er 28' at the rear end of the machineexfr The inking ribbon mcchaniam.-Thc inkin ribbon passes "under suitable guide bars I be ow the-banks of type wheels, and is connected to windin spools 80, see Figs. II, VIII and IX, e windin spools are rotated step by step durin t 0 operation of the wer shaft to wind t e ribbon onto one of t e s ools and unwind it from the other spool. on the ribbon is completely unwound from one of the spools, a tripping device, carried by the ribbon, is brought into service to reverse the direction of feed.

The ribbon spools 80 are secured to shafts 8i 'ournaled in the side frames 2, and each rib n splool is provided with slotted end flanges t at receive a trippinv device 82. The tripping devices 82 arerods secured to the ends of the ribbon and passin through the slots 88 in the s 001 flanges. hese tri 8. when theribbon is wra ped on a spool, and they are pulled away. m the axis of the ribbon spool to trip certain devices, and there .reverse the direction of feed, when the rib n is completely unwound from said p The ribbon is fed through the medium of ratchet wheels 84 fixedto the shafts 81 and ada ted to be. driven by pawls- 85. The

aw s are pivoted to hell crank levers 86 aving long arms 87- which lie in the path of movement of pins 88, (Fig.- III), on the reciprocating feeder carrier 26. Springs 89 tend to ho d the arms 87 engaged with {25s 90 on one-o1 the side frames 2. Both crank levers'r86 and the pawls carried thereby are rocked by the pins 88 during the operationot the reciprocating feeder car- The pawls onthe bell crank levers are connected to each other by a connecting member 91 pivoted to the upper ends of said .pawls. One of'the pawls is always engaged with a ratchet wheel 84, and the other pawl is held out of cage eat with the ratchet wheel ad'aoent to it y the connecting member 91. pawls' are held in the position seen-in Fig. V-IH by their own weight combmedawith the weight of the connecting member 91. i If the inoperative pawl at the 1 ,left handJside of Fig. VIII is thrown into (engagement with the adjacent ratchet wheel, the other pawl willibe thrown out of engagement with its ratchet wheel by the connecting-member 91, and the pawls will be held ping devices lie at e inner ends of the slots 95 in this latter position by the weight just referred to. Each pawl has a tripable arm 92 adapted to be operated by a tripping device 82 when the ribbon is unwound from the spool to which said tripping device is fitted. The action of either tripping device is to carry the arm 92 operable thereby away from the axis of the spool to overthrow the pawls and reverse the feed, thereby causing the ribbon to wind onto the unwound spool.

I claim 1. In a printing machine, printing devices, and means for pushing sheets step by step to said printing devices, said means comprising a reciprocating carrier, a sheet pusher carried by said carrier, a tripable member carried by said carrier for holding said pusher in operative position, means supported independently of said carrier with which said tripable member engages to cause said pusher to be freed When said carrier and pusher have partaken of a predetermined degree of movement in one direction, and means for restoring said pusher to sheet feeding position and into engagement with said tripable member when said carrier is moved in a-reverse direction.

2. In a printing machine, printing devices, and means for pushing sheets step by step to said printingdevices; said means comprising a reciprocating carrier, a sheet pusher carried by said carrier, a tripable member carried by said carrier for holding said p sher in operative position, means support (1 independently of said carrier with which said tripable member engages to cause said pusher to be freed when said carrier and pusher have partaken of a predetermined degree of movement in one direction, and an abutment in the path of backward travel of said pusher whereby said pusher is restored to sheet feedingposition and to engagement with said tripable'in'ember during the reverse movement of said carrier.

3. In a printing machine, a frame, printing devices supported by said frame, and means for pushing sheets step by step to said printing devices; said means comprising a reciprocating carrier, a pivotally mounted pusher carried by said carrier. a tripable member by which said pusher is held in sheet feeding position, an abutment supported by said frame adapted to be engaged by said tripable member to release said pusher, and an abutment supported by said frame back of said pusher whereby the pusher is moved into sheet feeding position and into engagement with said tripable member.

4. In a printing machine, printing devices, means for feeding sheets to said printing devices, the feeding means comprising a carrier, a feeder movable into and out of engagement with the sheets, said feeder being pivoted to said carrier, a yieldable device tending to move said feeder away from the sheets, a dog on said carrier holding said feeder engaged with the sheets, means for tripping said dog at a predetermined point to release the feeder and allow said yieldable device to move the feeder away from the sheets, and means for restoring said feeder.

5. In a printing machine, printing devices, means for feeding sheets to said printing devices, said feeding means comprising a carrier, means for reciprocating said carrier, a feeder movable into and out of engagement with the sheets, said feeder being pivoted to said carrier, a yieldable device tending to move said feeder away from the sheets, a dog pivoted to said carrier for hold ing said feeder engaged with the sheets, a stationary abutment adapted to be engaged by said pivoted dog to release said feeder at a predetermined point so as to allow said yieldable device to move the feeder away from the sheets, and a second stationary abutment adapted to be engaged by said feeder to restore it to its feeding position.

6. In a printing machine, printing devices, and means for pushing sheets step by step to said printing devices; said means comprising a carrier, means for reciprocating said carrier, a pusher movable into and out of engagement with the sheets, said pusher being carried by said carrier, a locking device adapted to automatically lock the pusher, when the latter occupies its feeding position, an abutment adapted to be engaged by said locking device during the forward movement of said carrier to unlock the pusher and stop the feed at a predetermined point, and a stationary abutment adapted to be engaged by the pusher during the rearward movement of said carrier to restore the pusher to its feeding position.

7. In a printing machine, a plurality of printing devices spaced from each other, a feeder for feeding sheets first to one and then another of said printing devices, a carrier for said feeder, means for reciprocating said carrier, a platen adjacent to each printing device, and means operable by said carrier for moving said platens toward said printing devices.

8. In a printing machine, a plurality of printing devices spaced from each other, a feeder for feeding sheets first to one and then another of said printing devices, a carrier for said feeder. means for reciprocating said carrier, a platen adjacent to each printing device, and means secured to said carrier v 

